looking at mcintosh pre-amp c2500. Can I do better for the cost of a Mac?

You are right about the preamp being the heart of a system. You might state your budget for the system, what sources you anticipate using, your music preferences, need for loudness and room size. With that info we can better advise. It should be an enjoyable journey.

Yes, please tell us more about the gear you have and are thinking about getting. Also, what speakers do you have?

Please do not stress, this is a hobby, a fun diversion, not war and peace. Music should bring joy to your life. The gear is just a means to an end. Most all the gear today is great, just pick the flavor that appeals to you.

Last year I upgraded to a McIntosh C50 pre-amp and MC452 power amp, yes, I know a lot of audiophiles don't like "the M brand", but for several months, auditioning lots of speakers, that combination (to me) really stood out as being very "musical".

I am not a fan of tubes, but I'd think the C2500 would be an excellent choice for someone into tubes.

I previously had a McIntosh MCD500 and MAC6700 and can tell you, no problem selling McIntosh equipment in good condition and you won't lose much to depreciation.  Other brands might be really difficult to sell.

Listen to shindo, vac, arc, etc to get good comparison. 

+1 to joeinid & mesch.  The C2500 is a superb preamp, especially if you want one of the very best MC phono sections and a top end 32 bit 192 kHz DAC all in one unit.  But do you really need that?  Yes, it's pricey, and there is a lot of stuff out there that is even more so.

Being familiar with both tube and SS preamps in the Mc line, I can assure you that you won't go wrong either way, but you do need to think about what you have to have, want to have and wish to have first.  It will save you a lot of hassle, and it is all supposed to be fun.

Good luck & happy listening!